In electronic systems, some electronic components (e.g. integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc.) are connected into the system through an electrical socket. A particular class of socket holds a circuit board module on which these components are mounted. The circuit board module provides electrical traces between the components and electrical pads at which electrical contact is made with electrical conductors on the socket. Electrical signals are exchanged off the circuit board module at the junction between the electrical pads of the circuit board modules and the electrical conductors of the socket. The socket provides electrical connections between the circuit board module and other portions of the electronic system, such as a motherboard, on which the socket is mounted. Sockets and circuit board modules of a given type are designed to work together with respect to physical dimensions and electrical signaling characteristics. The sockets and circuit board modules are also sometimes designed for allowable space within and physical characteristics of the electronic system in which the sockets and modules are to be used.
Current sockets allow for the electrical connection of circuit board modules with electrical pads along only one edge. This physical constraint on the structure of circuit board modules can sometimes be undesirable, particularly when there are a relatively large number of electrical pads on the edge of the circuit board module, thereby resulting in a fairly long edge. Such circuit board modules and their sockets are unusable in some electronic systems where spatial requirements are tightly restricted and performance requirements do not allow for a tradeoff to make the edge shorter and the circuit board module smaller.